There’s no Buzz with Marquette’s coach

I had the misfortune to cover and witness Marquette not even show up Saturday night against Seton Hall in an awful 85-72 loss for the alma mater, a loss that more than likely (and deservedly so) sends the Golden Eagle Warriors into the NIT instead of their sixth straight NCAA tourney.What was more disconcerting from a sportswriter’s standpoint was the obvious disregard for everyone else except himself by Marquette coachBuzz Williams, who decided to hold a closed-door meeting with his team for an ungodly 75 minutes after the loss _ ignoring the media that was waiting for him to speak.The NCAA and Big East Conference have regulations that the coaches are supposed to adhere to after games. There’s a 10-minute cooling-off period, followed by the losing coach and losing players, then winning coach and winning players. It’s a policy that is religiously enforced during the entire NCAA Tournament.But bonehead Buzz decides Saturday night that he doesn’t have to follow any rules. He’s going to hold everyone up and make them wait until he’s good and ready to face the media.Bonehead Buzz didn’t realize that other people had a job to do. He didn’t realize that he was holding everyone hostage for his selfish team meeting. Not just sportswriters, but security personnel at the Prudential Center, Seton Hall school officials, you name it. No one could go home until Bonehead Buzz left his locker room and he decided to stay there with no regard for anyone else.Now, if he wanted to lambast his team for their hideous performance, go right ahead and do it _ but on your time. Go meet the media, live up to your obligations and then go back into the locker room and address the team.As we stood there and waited and waited and waited, nothing was being said from Marquette officials. When Bonehead Buzz finally stepped out of the locker room, all he could say was “Sorry for the delay.”Sorry for the delay? For almost an hour and a half? The team could have flown home to Milwaukee faster than he came out of the locker room.There was another problem with Williams’ selfishness Saturday night. Apparently, there was a recruit, a good-looking 6-foot-9 player who sat patiently outside the Marquette locker room, waiting for Bonehead Buzz to rear his bald head. Gee, think there’s a chance this kid now signs with Marquette after waiting that long?There’s no excuse for such selfish behavior.John Thompson, the father, didn’t pull such crap when he was the coach at Georgetown _ and he invented Hoya Paranoia because he hated the media. Other Big East coaching legends likeJim Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, Rick Pitino_ all of whom are Hall of Famers or will be _ have never pulled such stunts, because they all know their place and they all know the rules and regulations that have to be followed.Sure, it stings a little more because it’s the beloved alma mater. But someone has to address this issue with Williams, because he’s apparently done it a few times this season, according to someone involved in the Big East Conference. Apparently, it’s a regular problem.Well, Williams should be penalized, punished, reprimanded, reminded about being such a selfish clod.This is the same clown who when hired as Marquette’s coach, replacingTom Crean, after Crean departed for Indiana, tried to save one of Crean’s top recruits,Tyshawn Taylor from St. Anthony of Jersey City.Taylor had signed with Marquette, but was looking to get out of his letter of intent after Crean left. So Williams tried to convince Taylor and his high school coach, none other thanBob Hurley, to stay with the Golden Eagle Warriors. He wanted to set up a meeting with Hurley and Taylor, to introduce himself and try to keep the talented Taylor.So Williams called Hurley _ at 1:30 in the morning.“Did I wake you, coach?” Williams asked. Uh, yeah, it’s safe to say that. “Sorry, it’s 12:30 here.”Williams then went on to call Taylor himself about 15 minutes later after waking Hurley. Yes, at 1:45 a.m.Needless to say, Taylor backed out of his initial letter and headed instead to Kansas, where he’s had a great career.Since Williams has been the head coach at Marquette, he’s brought on a host of junior college transfers and not many four-year players. The last group of four-year studs, likeWesley Matthews, Dominic James, Jerel McNeal andLazar Hayward, were all Crean recruits that Williams inherited. Williams’ recruits have been JUCOs andVander Blue, who has basically been a big disappointment as a freshman.But this latest fiasco is just another example that Bonehead Buzz is over is head in this big-time environment.There, I said it.———————————————————————————————-Hudson County has had only two wrestlers ever to win state championships. North Bergen’sJohn Bottin the 1980s and my former neighborDavid Cordobaof Kearny in the 1990s. That’s it.Well, today in Atlantic City, the county has a chance to crown two on the same day, when North Bergen’sLuis Gonzalezand St. Peter’s Prep’sJames Foxboth go for state gold. Pretty impressive.———————————————————————————————-You can read more of my work athttp://www.hudsonreporter.com/,http://www.theobserver.com/ andhttp://www.dailyrecord.com/.